Everything You Need to Know to Make the Perfect Smoothie Bowl

Before you get fancy with your smoothie bowl, you’ll want to choose two or three fruits for the base mixture. Bananas and mixed berries like raspberries or blueberries add sweetness and plenty of antioxidants, while an avocado will add creaminess and healthy fats to your bowl. Frozen fruit is best because it will make your base thick, creamy and cool.

Adding veggies to your smoothie is an easy way to take the nutritional value up a notch without sacrificing taste. It may sound counterintuitive, but cauliflower makes for an excellent addition to any smoothie for its high levels of vitamins and thick texture. Add any other vitamin-rich veggies like spinach or kale, or keep it simple with just fruit.

Don’t miss any opportunity to add even more nutritional value to your smoothie bowl. Whether you’re looking to amp up your protein, boost your skin and nails with collagen, or increase your magnesium intake, adding powders like hemp, açaí or spirulina to your smoothie is an easy way to pack even more healthy goodness into your base.

Seeds like chia, hemp, and flax will add texture and thickness to your smoothie while providing you with extra fibre to slow down the digestion process and keep your blood sugar stable. A tablespoon of psyllium husk—part of the plantago plant—will also stabilize your sugar levels while keeping you fuller for longer.

Keep your smoothie base cool and creamy with a few chunks of ice, then choose a liquid like coconut milk, almond milk or coconut water. Start off slow with just a bit of liquid and see how your smoothie fares—you can always add more if the consistency is too thick, but you don’t want your base to be too watery right off the bat.

With so much frozen fruit and ice, this part may be tricky. Start blending on high or use the ice crusher button to break up the solid pieces, then gradually begin blending on low to thicken your smoothie. If nothing seems to be moving at all inside the blender, slowly add more liquid to loosen up the thick fruit.

Now that your smoothie base is perfectly creamy and thick, you’ll want to pour it into your bowl. Make sure you choose a bowl that’s wide and deep enough, but not so big that you can’t fill it to the top with your mixture. Use a bowl with clean lines and a simple design so it doesn’t distract from your creation, and try to find a beautiful spoon to match.

Now comes the fun part: topping your smoothie. Use the same ingredients you used in your base, or get creative with others like coconut flakes, granola or even edible flowers. Whether you choose to arrange your toppings in aesthetically pleasing patterns or throw them on top for a more natural look, your smoothie is your canvas, so don’t hold back.